Tuesday Chapel Seeks to Restore Students

A new chapel, “Restore”, offers students a unique way to approach chapel. It provides a relaxed atmosphere where students can sing, dance, do homework or even sleep!

It was launched only two weeks before spring break by the new Senior Administrator to the Dean of Spiritual Formation. Unlike every other chapel, which meet in morning or at night, Restore meets at lunch every Tuesday.

They hoped this would help students take a breather from their stressful days. Since most classes where not in conflict with this hour, students wouldn’t have to rearrange their schedules mid semester to attain all their chapel credits.

Within it’s 4 week trial, the chapel has gained a reputation as a place where students can do homework and get chapel credit at the same time. In addition, Restore uses a sign-in sheet to manage credits, as opposed to a scanner. This allows students to show up however late they want and leave however early they please.

These hiccups are only temporary, Wollin says. Within a few weeks they hope to have a student managing the sign in sheet at the door. Students doing their homework during the chapel is a more difficult problem to solve.

Restore embodies Wollin’s genuine desire for students to find peace by God’s touch. Whether or not students can experience this peace while studying remains unanswered. Nonetheless, neither Wollin or the rest of the department want to see students doing homework in any chapel. “How can you get someone to engage who doesn’t want to?” she asks, “it’s tricky.”

With only 4 weeks left in the semester, students will probably attend Restore will increasing numbers. However, Wollin would not want to see Restore become a study hall, nor does she want students failing their classes.

“We’re just trying to play it by ear” Wollin says, “to see if this is something we’re going to do next semester and to offer chapel credit for it.”